• Councils
• The Sustainability Council
  • At a Glance
    • Standing Council Committees
    • Who We Are
    • Our Legacy
    • Ten Years of Organizing
    • Curricular and Co-Curricular Programs
    • Institutional/Facilities Accomplishments
  • Calendar of Events
  • News
  • Campus Sustainability Indicators
  • Mini Grants
  • Staff Sustainability Award
  • How We Choose to Live
  • Local & Global Outreach
  • Our Stories
  • Contact Us

Selected Institutional/Facilities Accomplishments

Food Service

Since the inception of WEST in 2001, Willamette’s food service provider, Bon Appetit, has been a critical and enthusiastic partner in sustainability efforts. Food items are purchased from local, organic farms using fair labor practices whenever possible. Local food accounts for 35-75 percent of the food budget depending on the season, which is sourced from 12 local producers, including a dairy. Seventy percent of the food served at the university travels less than 500 miles to campus, and about sixty-five percent is sustainably produced or harvested. Additionally, Bon Appetit has initiated various educational and outreach programs, such as Farm to Fork and the Low Carbon Diet, and has been instrumental in advancing campus composting.

Grounds

Willamette manages 95 percent of the campus grounds organically, reducing the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers from a previous 58 chemicals to 1.  Grounds crews employ techniques such as hand weeding, vinegar sprays, compost tea, and reusing coffee grounds in planting beds. Willamette is the first campus to be Oregon Tilth certified, and to employ a certified organic landscapist. Willamette is an acknowledged regional leader in sustainable landscape management.

LEED Buildings/Facilities

In 2003, the board of trustees endorsed green building guidelines to be used for all new construction and renovations. The Kaneko Residential Commons was the University’s first LEED Gold commissioned building; Ford Hall was commissioned LEED Gold in 2009. In addition to new construction, Willamette has utilized sustainable construction and energy conservation techniques on several large renovation projects, including the Carnegie Building and the University Playhouse. Willamette’s efforts in sustainable construction have achieved regional recognition by the Better Bricks Awards (2008) and more recently (2011) has been highlighted by the State of Oregon’s “Reach Code” campaign.